Nishio: India’s Lovlina Borgohain celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women’s 75kg boxing final at the Asian Games in Nishio, Japan, Friday, October 2, 2026. (Photo: IANS/Biplab Banerjee)
New Delhi, October 4 (IANS) Fresh from her Asian Games gold medal, Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain has already turned her attention towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with the 2027 World Boxing Championships set to provide the first opportunity to secure qualification.
With the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) deciding that Asian Games medallists will be the main entries for the 2027 World Boxing Championships in Kazakhstan, the first official qualifying event for the LA 2028 Olympics, Lovlina wants to make the most of the pathway and seal her Olympic berth at the earliest opportunity.
“We always try our best to qualify in the first qualification (chance) only. It is a very good thing for an athlete. The way hockey has done it, they will get a long time to prepare. Our target is to qualify in the first qualification, get a good time and get good results,” Lovlina told IANS on Sunday.
The prospect of securing qualification early would give Lovlina and the other successful boxers a longer runway to prepare specifically for the Olympics. For an athlete already familiar with the demands of the Games, the priority now is to ensure that the qualification process does not become a prolonged battle and that sufficient preparation time is available once the ticket to LA28 is secured.
Her Asian Games triumph has strengthened that belief. But Lovlina does not view the medal simply as a response to the disappointment of Paris, where she missed out on a podium finish. Instead, she wants to enjoy what she has achieved without allowing the pressure to prove herself to overshadow the accomplishment.
“I have not thought of anything like that. I just said that I have won the moment. This is my medal. I just have to enjoy it. I don’t have to answer anyone. I don’t have to prove anything. I don’t have to do anything. I just have to enjoy my medal,” she added.
The Asian Games also offered Lovlina a wider view of the progress being made in Indian boxing. The recent medal-winning performances across weight categories, including the heavier divisions, have pointed to a growing depth within the national programme.
Lovlina believes the change is not about one category working harder than another, but about athletes developing the mentality required to consistently compete for medals.
“I think everyone does hard work. Everyone does hard work. Both heavyweight and lightweight boxers work equally hard. Everyone does the same amount of hard work. Sometimes you get a medal, sometimes you don’t. But the hard work is not less. I know, we stay in the camp. Every athlete works so hard and is so focused.
“So, the mindset has changed somewhere between our athletes. We have a champion mindset. That is why we are doing well. And we are getting support from the government. That is also the reason why our performance is good,” the boxer stated.
For Lovlina, that champion mindset begins with trusting the process and, more importantly, trusting oneself. She believes that lesson is particularly important for young boxers entering a sport where setbacks are inevitable.
“I would like to say that it is more important to trust yourself. The world will say anything. You should never break your trust. If you think you can do it, then you can do it,” she mentioned.
The Asian Games gold also gave Lovlina another reminder of why athletes endure the difficult periods of their careers. For her, few moments compare with standing on the podium while the national anthem plays.
“It is a very good feeling. We are not allowed to go around the world with our national flag. But when the national anthem is played, our flag comes up. That is a very special moment. That feeling is the dream of every athlete. To finish that podium and play our national anthem,” Lovlina expressed.
The next target, however, is already clear. With the first LA28 qualification event providing an opportunity to secure her place early, Lovlina wants to convert her Asian Games momentum into an Olympic berth and then use the additional preparation time to arrive in Los Angeles fully prepared for another shot at the biggest stage.
